IF YOU'RE someone who spends most of your time shuttling between air-conditioned malls and cinemas, there's never been a better time to get on your bike.
That's because of a new network of trails on the east coast that makes cycling in the great outdoors a breeze.
You can wheel it from Siglap to Pasir Ris to Changi and back in as little as two hours, thanks to the completion of the 42km Eastern Coastal Park Connectors Network (PCN for short.)
The $22 million cycling network, which took the National Parks Board (NParks) a decade to complete, links six parks via trails taking riders through heartland estates and along picturesque canals.
The final piece in the grid - the 7km Coastal Park Connector - was unveiled on Dec 7.
FIRST YOU RIDE, THEN YOU DRIVE: You can do the full 42km on the Eastern Coastal Park Connectors Network (above) or you can opt for shorter routes. But don't forget to end the ride with a refreshing drink at Sunset Bay.
So far, 100km of park connectors have been completed across the island, with NParks planning a further 100km by 2015 as part of a plan to transform Singapore into a 'City-in-a-Garden'.
On a rare fine day last week, LifeStyle took a joyride to check out the various routes. And don't worry about getting lost. NParks has placed PCN in bold letters on the track at strategic spots.
Suburban sights
THE start. Park at Carpark C4 along East Coast Park and take the overhead bridge - push your bike up a ramp - to get to the 4.5km Siglap Park Connector that takes you all the way from Marine Parade to Bedok Reservoir Park.
As you go alongside Siglap Canal, you find yourself smack in upper middle-class suburbia - the backyards of the Telok Kurau private estate. The route does get a little congested during mornings and evenings, so expect a slow ride.
Emerge at Kembangan MRT and continue towards the Pan Island Expressway where, once again, you have to push your bike up an overhead ramp (see story on facing page).
Cross over and go through the scenic Bedok Town Park, a length of greenery that eventually connects with Bedok Reservoir Park. You might even catch people wakeboarding there.
From here, you have two choices. Head back to East Coast Park using the 6km Bedok Park Connector, which takes you through a series of canals - one of them parallel to food factories complete with tantalising aromas wafting over to you. Or link up with the 5.4km Tampines Park Connector.
Heartland explorer
THIS route takes you up close and personal with the Tampines HDB estate, as the cycling paths are incorporated into the pedestrian walkways close to the void decks.
For a drink, stop at the several no-name sundry shops along the way.
After some distance, the track turns left towards Tampines Central where you can stop at neighbourhood shopping hubs Tampines Mall and Century Square
Look out for the S-11 kopitiam further down for a hawker fare fix. Past the Tampines Regional Library, you'll reach Sun Plaza Park which has a playground with slides shaped like elephants and crocodiles. From there, join the 2.3km Pasir Ris Park Connector.
The far East
THE pace of life is slower here and you'll encounter fewer motorists and pedestrians. Behind an HDB estate, cross a canal - people go fishing here - via a quaint wooden footbridge.
There's another overhead bridge to cross. Soon you end up at Pasir Ris Town Park, a hotspot for pond fishing. At the end, turn right and go down Pasir Ris Drive 3 towards Loyang and eventually the 3.4km Loyang Park Connector.
There's nothing much to see here except greenery and the odd industrial building. The route winds into some deserted places so it's not advisable to go alone.
Finally, you hit the renowned Changi Village where you can tuck into nasi lemak and sugarcane juice. Arrive after dusk and you may see 'ah kuas' (Hokkien for transvestites).
The ride through Changi Beach Park is pleasant, with lampposts and a footbridge over water where bumboats bob. The last and most daunting bit beckons: the 7.9km Coastal Park Connector.
Ride for your life
THIS flat, straight stretch is bliss. Ride alongside the runways of Changi Airport, with the roar of jet engines urging you to pedal harder and faster.
The only downer is the strong wind, which can slow you down if you're riding into it. But soldier on to reach the best part of the Eastern network.
The connector turns off into a picturesque spot beside a canal that spills over into the sea. The path is shrouded by a canopy of trees and, from the gaps in the greenery, you can view the bellies of planes coming in to land - so close you can see their unfurling wheels. From here, link back to East Coast Park and back to your start point.
Don't forget to reward yourself with a hard-earned drink on the way back by wheeling up to Sunset Bay, a new incarnation of the once-famous Sentosa beach bar institution.
After 42km of pedal power, it's bound to hit the spot.
Cycle and carry
THE Eastern Coastal Park Connector looks seamless on the map, but, on the ground, it is a different story.
LifeStyle journalist Sandra Leong, 26, and Viki Ho, 32, who owns bicycle shop Cycle Craft in East Coast Road, ended up carrying their transport at some spots along the route.
CARRY ON: You need more than pedal power to complete the route.
DISMOUNT 1
At the end of the Bedok Park Connector heading to East Coast Park, the underpass behind Bedok Camp has no ramp down. Cyclists have to carry their bikes down a staircase.
Ho says: 'This is difficult for cyclists with heavy bikes. The steps look slippery after rain so people wearing cycling shoes (which have studded surfaces) may fall.'
Leong says: 'Not only is there no ramp, the steps are also steep and narrow.'
NParks says: 'The existing underpass was constructed by the Land Transport Authority many years ago. We are working with the LTA to see if it can provide a proper ramp. We need to ask for additional land as well as additional funding. We hope to do something within the next two years.'
DISMOUNT 2
Along Bedok North Road on the Siglap Park Connector, there's no proper ramp on an overhead bridge that cyclists use to link up with Bedok Town Park. Bikes have to be pushed along a narrow, cement groove that runs beside the staircase steps.
Ho says: 'I wouldn't roll my bike down this way because it's not safe. Just like the underpass, most people will carry their bikes. Those with heavy bikes may find this inconvenient.'
Leong says: 'As there are two flights of steps on either side, this is no easy feat, especially for older cyclists.'
NParks says: 'This overhead bridge was built by the LTA and the land adjacent to it is HDB land. We are working with HDB and LTA to come up with a cost-effective design and technical solution to incorporate the ramp into the existing structure. Again, we hope to do this within the next two years.'
MISLEADING SIGN
At the end of Pasir Ris Town Park, a sign mistakenly directs cyclists to turn around if they want to head to Changi Beach Park. It should, in fact, be pointing right. NParks says a screw on the sign had come loose, causing it to swing in the wrong direction. The problem was rectified on Thursday.
Cycle Craft is at 282 East Coast Road
GO FOR A SPIN
LifeStyle recommends some routes that you can try out
